I found a spot not far from the florist, hidden in the shade from where I could see her face. I just wanted to see her smile again.
I tracked her as she moved with the hoard. Ava caught a glimpse of the little girl that’d been staring at her in awe from where she was perched on her father’s shoulders. I probably had the exact same expression as the girl.
My little witch pulled a silly face, and the girl threw her head back laughing. I couldn’t help but laugh myself.
“Are you waiting for someone?” a woman asked from beside me.
I begrudgingly dragged my gaze from Ava, seeing the woman smile at me, with too much twinkle in her eyes. She was manning the stall right next to me, selling honey and other honey products. She twirled a strand of blonde hair around her finger, her eyes sliding over my body. Whatever she was thinking had her neck flushing red.
I groaned inwardly. “Yes. My girl,” I answered in a clipped tone, hoping it would stop any further conversation.
It did.
I found Ava again. She had bought a purple teddy bear and handed it to the little girl, who crushed it to her chest.
My own chest ached. Abby would have loved my little witch.
She finally reached the florist, and the old man waddled from behind the stand, taking off his hat as he stopped in front of her, handing her the flowers.
Her eyes brightened as she laughed without restraint, clutching a hand to her heart.
My world stopped.
Her laughter carried over the noise, and I was painstakingly reminded that it was the only thing I needed. I didn’t need toeat; I didn’t need to breathe. I only needed a world in which my nightingale was laughing and happy. I needed her happy.
She spoke to the florist for a while longer and I couldn’t keep my eyes off her. I would make sure to keep that warm smile on her face for the rest of the day.
She moved to the next stall and determination settled in my gut. I knew where I wanted her to go next. She hadn’t eaten yet, and there was a coffee shop not far from here that had caramel cheesecake on the menu. One of her favourites. Right up there with pancakes.
I looked around me, searching through the chess pieces, trying to find those that would help me steer my queen in the direction I wanted her. My eyes snagged on the blonde, who was still watching me from between her honey jars.
The perfect pawn.
I gave her a dazzling smile. “You wouldn’t happen to have a blank paper on you?” She did. I already saw it peeking out behind the counter, the first time she talked to me.
She swallowed hard, blinking fast at the sudden change in my demeanour. “Yes, of course. How many do you need?”
I stepped closer. “Two would suffice, doll.”
She smiled broadly, her fingers fumbling nervously with the paper, then handed it to me.
I quickly folded a paper airplane in a design I’d aerodynamically perfected in one of my spouts of boredom. I handed it back to the blonde, making sure to lightly touch her fingers. “Would you write something for me, on the wing?”
“Sure,” she answered breathlessly, reaching for a pen.
I let my eyes glide over her body, the same way she had done to me, moments ago, and dropped my voice lower. “You’re such an obedient girl, aren’t you?”
The woman stopped breathing, her neck flushing deeper as she processed my words.
“Now be a good doll and write,Go where the wind blows you.”
It couldn’t bemyhandwriting.
The woman giggled nervously, shyly dropping her gaze, but did as I asked. I turned from her, finding my princess again, and quickly folded the last piece of paper into a flower. A vervain flower, which I’d learned to fold for Ava, when I wasn’t able to get the real flowers. Folding one was second nature now. I’ve been using it as a way to occupy my jittery hands for all these months, folding any piece of scrap paper I could find, while I spiralled into the catacombs of my mind, trying to find a way to stop my worst fears from coming true.
Hunter was sick of all the paper flowers lying around, and Gem had started collecting them, binding them together in bouquets and garlands that adorned our living spaces. In memory of the family member we had to leave behind—our Ava.
“Is this okay?”
